Following a successful joint investigation by State Farm and the Ohio Department of Insurance, another insurance fraud scammer is behind bars. The Fulton County Common Pleas Court has sentenced Kelli Reyes to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to felony insurance fraud in connection with an alleged home robbery in 2011. The court also ordered the Wauseon, Ohio woman to pay the prosecution expenses and $1,148.15 in restitution to State Farm.

The Department began its investigation in Nov. 2011 after being contacted by State Farm, Reyes' insurer at the time. State Farm reported having received a suspicious claim from Reyes for items purportedly stolen from her residence during a break-in earlier that year. The Department learned that Reyes had submitted two false receipts in an attempt to substantiate ownership of assorted power tools and bicycles allegedly stolen during the break-in. This information helped unravel the alleged break-in, which turned out to be based more on fiction than fact.

“Because of the hard work of the Fulton County Prosecutor's Office, and the State Farm and Department of Insurance investigative teams we were able to successfully close this case,” said Mary Taylor, Lieutenant Governor and Department of Insurance Director. “Insurance fraud raises the cost of insurance for all of us, and the department will continue to pursue those who choose to break the law.”